Panil Barriquée (Sour)

’06 Vintage. I was so loking forward to drinking this beer, however I was underimpressed. I was ready for a big sour aroma. It didn’t happen. Not much sour and not much oak. Virtually zero head. Really kind of a bland beer. I don’t think I even finished the bottle. I have a feeling that I didn’t get a representative bottle. I bought this at Green’s on Buford this past spring. I’d like to try a fresh bottle as I love this style of beer.

Rerate, 750mL bottle, bottled in 2005. Slightly improved upon the 2006, although there’s a pervasive inky and medicinal note that’s slightly distracting; seems much dryer, crisper, and with a tighter core, than the 2006. Bumped up a point.

750mL bottle, bottled in 2006. Pours a bright, medium reddish brown color; small, off-white head with a slight retention of large bubbles; minimal lacing. Mildly tart, overripe red fruits and toasty, vanilla-tinged barrel coming through; some blackberries and soft tannins; not terribly tart or focused (I remember an older bottle being much more tart and acidic). Medium-to-full mouthfeel: warm overripe cherries and blackberries at the front of things; relaxed tartness and mild acidity; slightly flabby: doesn’t really fulfill the mouthwatering / aperitif character one would like to have from a Flemish sour, or at least this bottle doesn’t; good, tasty and balanced barrel notes coming through: toasty vanilla, oak, and even a bit of buttery diacetyl. Tasty core, but lacking sourness and focus. Medium, mildly tart red fruit and oak.

Some people don’t like sour beer. Perhaps I should learn to appreciate this and understand the potential for more being left for me. As it was difficult enough to get this singular bottle, that should be even more apparent. And yet I am left with a certain sadness for this as I receive such joy. Oh, supreme sourness that wards off evil and brings delight that doth not diminish, but increases, yeh and verily. If you really loved me you would have already bought a case of it and sent it to me.

Getting lots of unripened green orchard apples with this. kenb is getting sour cherries with this one. I’m not getting the oak but he is.

Bottle from Julios in Mass. I thought it was going to pour purplebut poured an off red. I am not a fan of this style but boy was this good. Aroma of sour fruit and caramel. Dry , sour and fruity with a cherry finish. A hint of vanilla and oak. Blended well. A really good brew.

2005. pours a dark cloudy copper with a huge two finger fluffy off white head. aroma is wood, sour cherry, and sour apple. there is also some musty funk and a little alcohol. has a medium body with good lacing and carbonation. flavor is the same as aroma but just a bit stronger. it is good but i would stick with the rodenbach grand cru. this beer also has a dry aftertaste like a dry wine. has some sediment in the glass as well. i think the cognac barrel is a little too much for me on the palate compared to the rodenbach oak barrel. but again not bad.

2006 Bottle. Pours like a lighter red wine with a clear dark red-burgandy color and a negligable head leaving soapy notes. Nose is very vinous as well; not quite the sharp acidity of some other flemishes but certainly filled with some tannins with notes of plum skin, tart black cherries, vanilla, and light earthy oak. Flavor is again quite vinous; like a cabernet/shiraz blend; lots of plum and soured black cherries, maybe even some currant, with also a touch of red wine vinegar, vanilla, and earthen oak notes. Palate is like a lighter-bodied red wine; almost medium bodied, quite soft carbonation (almost as if it carbonation was lost somehow), and a decent quenching acidity. Finishes with lingering tart notes of black cherries, red wine vinegar, and light vanilla. More like a red wine than any other beer I’ve tried, like a cab/shiraz blend more than anything. If I’m rating the beer against other Flemishes, it wasn’t my favorite but certainly nice. If i am rating it as a vinous beer, I seem to like it more than I thought I would. Excellent balance of fruity, acidic, and acetic flavor but lacks the malt depth of great Flemishes. Maybe fitting it is an Italian brewed beer considering all the vinous references.

Lightly foggy amber, loose head. Slighlty funky aroma, oak, cherries. Taste is a light tartness, light cherry, some oakiness and vanilla, body is a little flat.